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Part II: Series in Optoelectronics, Optical Assembly Manufacturing Evolution
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
By Rob Suurmann
As fundamental splicing processes develop, becoming well understood and controlled, a logical next step in optical assembly manufacturing is automation. The fusion splicing process, discussed in Part I (October SMT, pg. 42), historically has been manual — with operators transporting the fibers to each piece of equipment in addition to operating the equipment itself.
Only a couple years ago, the optoelectronics industry was growing at such a fast pace that equipment and component demands resulted in delivery being a primary vendor concern. However, the recent downturn in demand has provided an opportunity for vendors to refocus their efforts on product and equipment development. For example, one area of focus and potential cost reduction exists in the next generation of splicing systems, which add automation to the fusion splicing process.
The sophistication of these upcoming systems varies from equipment that can fully process a single fiber pair to those capable of the concurrent processing of fibers through multiple stages. Generally, the addition of automation produces a decreased tack time ranging from 40 to 150 seconds. This is a substantial decrease from more typical times of 5 to 10 minutes for manual splicing. However, the decrease in cycle time comes at a price. System costs can run several hundred thousand dollars.
More recently, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers and equipment vendors have recognized that the partial automation of the fiber splicing process can offer substantial benefits at a fraction of the capital investment. This concept, which aims to automate only the process's preparation stages (i.e., fiber stripping, cleaning and cleaving), simplifies fusion splicing. With a significant reduction in fiber handling, equipment vendors hope to offer improvements in both quality and cycle time. Additionally, with equipment costs well suited to the industry's current economic circumstances, this level of automation may provide an intermediate solution between manual processing and complete automation.
To reduce costs sufficiently, the optical assembly process will need to progress beyond the current automation of fusion splicing available today. Even with splice automation, optical assembly still will require subsequent manual processes. For example, after fusion splicing, fiber routing will remain manual and continue monopolizing assembly time. Complex products with splice counts nearing the 100 mark would benefit from automation beyond the process of fusion splicing. However, fiber routing automation, in its present form, may prove to be difficult and cost-prohibitive.
The evolution of component technologies and packaging will most likely continue to direct advancements in assembly automation. These activities, combined with standardization, likely will reduce component and assembly costs — possibly opening new markets for optics-based technologies.
Unlike previous years, when process and technology advancements often were considered too strategic and proprietary for companies to disclose, 2002 has shown significant industry interest and activity in collaboration and an increased desire for standardization. Organizations such as the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI) have recognized this need and provided a forum for industry players to focus jointly on technology roadmapping, initiate relevant research and development activities, and promote standards that apply to all aspects from design to manufacturing.
The industry expectation is for the integration of discrete components reducing power, along with packaging and product sizes. However, there are size-reducing limitations when using fiber. Minimum bend radii must be maintained to ensure that light remains guided and bending stresses are kept low enough to provide long-term reliability. For this reason, the use of new technologies, such as embedded wave guides allowing compressed optical paths, could change the way optical assembly is viewed in the future.
Additionally, research offers the potential for integrating dozens of optical paths and components. In large volumes, innovation could reduce component cost and eliminate the need for fiber routing, leading to automation benefits using assembly technologies similar to existing pick-and-place manufacturing equipment.
The advancement of optoelectronics technology currently is in its infancy, similar to the state of printed circuit assembly and semiconductor fabrication 25 years ago. While optical assembly process will continue to change as the industry matures, the requirement for cost reduction and outsourcing certainly will continue. The next few years will present many new challenges and opportunities, ultimately resulting in cost and quality levels more in line with traditional electronics assembly.
Rob Suurmann, process engineer, Optoelec-tronics Group, may be contacted at Celestica Inc., (416) 448-5800, ext. 8034; Fax: (416) 448-4736; E-mail: rsuurman@celestica.com.